Avoid using Aodeh as a guide in Wadi Rum

I used Aodeh (www.aodeh.de) for my Wadi Rum jeep tour and overnight stay. It was the worst mistake in Jordan and really made my Wadi Rum trip a disappointment. Here are my reason why:

• He was totally uninterested in explaining anything when I asked him - he just pointed out things (canyon, sand dune, etc) and would not give any explantions about anything. All I got was one word answers, eg, I asked him what animals live in the dester and he said hyenas did but not in Wadi Rum. What a stupid answer!!!!
• His general attitude was that he was totally uninterested and I felt like a burden on him.
• He never gave me a clear structure for the day and seemed irritated whenever I asked him where we were going next.
• He told me not to buy much food for lunch (this was at 11am) as he would prepare the evening meal. He saw that I bought only a packet from the local shop and did not bother to sugget that it may not be enough. He didn't start cooking until 8pm and I was starving the whole afternoon. He never offered any food or drink.
• He took a 2 hour nap without informing me because he said he didn't sleep the night before because of a wedding. Hardly my problem.
• Whenever we stopped, he read my Lonely Planet guide and said that all the other guides were rubbish!!
• At the camp in the evening, he said that he wanted to leave me whilst he visited his friends for a few hours. This was my first time in the desert and I was nervous about staying alone. He said that him staying overnight was not included in the price. He kept saying it was safe but I didn't feel safe enough to be left alone, especiallly since he insited on carrying a dagger!!!! In the end, I told him I didn't want to stay with him and asked him to drop me off in the village. He really stressed me out for the whole day.
• Food consisted of the blandest fried chicken ever - no spices, no taste. Chicked had been fried in oil without anything ie any coating. Got upset stomache next day.
• When he dropped me off to the village, I confronted him about his bad attitude and he said that he did not like to talk "bullshit" all day. I really wanted to learn about the desert and Bedouin life but he saw this as "bullshit".

• I asked if we would visit a Bedouin family (many tour guides do this) and he said nobody does this in the desert. I said that I read that people do this and that Bedouins play music for the visitors and he said that no Bedouin plays music. This was totally untru as when he stopped at his friend's tent, I heard his friend play music.

• the only 2 positives were that he spoke good English and he had a covered jeep, which helped with the hot weather.

PLEASE AVOID THIS MAN AS HE WILL RIP YOU OFF AND IS THOROUGHLY UNPLEASANT AND LAZY. THERE ARE MUCH BETTER GUIDES OUT THERE.

I also had a bad experience with an ultra hight recommend guide by all Jordan guides book as LP, Rought Guide and Jordan Jubilee.

Reading your story I start to think they are good guides and do their job with professionalism only when customers are guides book writers.

I am also very boring . This was perhaps the only opportunity of my life to visit Wadi Rum and was spoiled by a stupid who does not understand that for many of us a trip to the Middle East is a dream not so easy to achieve.

Sorry to hear of your bad experience. My wife and I did an over-night trip with Aodeh last year and thought he was very good. The food was also good and there was plenty of it.

There are quite a few negative reviews about Aodeh online. This one closely mirrors my experience but goes into more detail about why one should not have Aodeh as a guide.

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jacontheroad/jordan_dec_2007/1198576980/tpod.html

I think visiting a desert with a young family is always going to be problematic. I actually found the story amusing. This lady should have found out exactly what was involved from her guide beforehand, I'm not sure if she did that. Did she expect a luxury bus to pick them up at the hotel? Remember this is Jordan, not a western European country.

I was at all the places she mentioned. The small canyon is a comfortable walk, not even a hike. The rock bridge may be a little dangerous to climb, so don't climb it then. The sunset hill at the camp site is not hard to climb and only takes ten minutes. And how could you hurt yourself on a hill of sand? (ref to the red sand dune).

I emailed Aodeh many times before going to Jordan and we agreed on exactly what we wanted to do and see. I paid a little extra for Aodeh to provide a guided hike up two mountains which he did. We would not have been able to do so on our own. We had Bedouin tea and a nice lunch at the top of each mountain. We finished our trip with lunch in Aodeh's home while playing with his son. I'm not trying to defend him but just giving my experience.

The moral of this story may be to "not go to the desert with a young family", rather than simply "avoid this guide". I agree there may be some bad reviews about Aodeh but I have read many more good reviews. He may not be very chatty but that didn't bother me as I was there for an adventure, not a history lesson.

Again I am sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the trip in Wadi Rum and I do agree that not getting any lunch during the day was bad and leaving you on your own at night isn't good either.

Edited by: thefizz

Edited by: thefizz

hello .
am sorry to hear this (but I don't understand) .
we visit wadi rum 2 time on 2008 and we Always go with the Aodeh by 4x4 drive Around with over nights camping each time we stay 2 nights 1 nights in his camp and one night Out side in the desert with out tent . so we now Aodeh and we meet tourist the have been with hem so we had the best time and we found hem the best and we sent hem 2 time friends and the had very good time . We trust hem for every thing. He have very new jeep and thing it's very good for the tours to have new jeep. And he speaks very good English..

so because know Aodeh and trust hem and know that he do good job 1 really recommended hem to Any one want to visit wadi rum .

Roprtro:
France

Dear "roprtro" or should I say Aodeh,

I find it rather pathetic that you disguise yourself as a traveller on this forum when you know full well that you are just trying to promote your rubbish service. How about being honest and responding to each of my points about my tour with you rather than continuing to deceive travellers. I understand that Ruth spoke to you about my post and so this is your attempt to counter my comment. Please don't assume that the users on this forum are stupid. It is odd that your only 3 posts on the entire forum are to to say how wonderful you are (albeit under a differnt name) and to promote your website.

I tried to say whatever was positive about you, i.e., your jeep and good spoken English (which you reiterate in your posts). However, a good, honest and sincere guide should provide a lot more than that. I understand that other clients may have had a good service from you but the service you gave me was nothing short of appalling. This forum is to allow travllers to learn about each others' experiences and dishonesty does not allow that.

I have also posted my review of you on Virtualtourist and other sites and so perhaps you wish to promote yourself there also.

My wife and I have a totally different experience. We travelled Jordan in September 2009 (it was the second time). Wadi Rum with Aodeh and Awad (a relative) was the best. We stayed three days and nights. Aodeh manages our trip excellent. We got a plan months ago by e-mail. He manages what we want. Awad was our guide.
The food in the camp (two nights) was excellent. Aodeh and Awad cooked chicken in a special oven - with rice and salad. They provided tea as sweet as you want. During the day and one evening (we stayed the night with Awad anywhere in Wadi Rum) Awad prepared lunch/dinner and tea - delicious again. When we arrived in the village (about 1 p.m.) Aodeh prepared lunch and tea. And of course we always got water. We never starved!!
With Awad we had many, many interesting discussions about Bedouin life and we visited a Bedouin family. We had never problems with our stomachs.
We always rember: desert Wadi Rum - blue sky, sleeping under amazing stars, wonderful landscape, many different colours, sand, mountains ... Wonderful people!! It was an extraordinary experience!!
You should know: the toilets and showers in the camps are sandy and simple. Water is precious and must be saved.
We suppose "sh1977" had a special problem. Maybe he never get a feeling for Wadi Rum and Aodeh. He was in Wadi Rum not a whole day but he knows there are better guides ...
sh1977 it is to simple to blame Aodeh. Maybe you are responsible too or you are the problem. It is a crazy idea to visit a Bedouin family and to expect they play music for you. And it is strange to write to all websites your experience - not one (!!!) day in Wadi Rum. And it is very curious to feel unsave in Wadi Rum!! All people are very, very friendly. When we met Aodeh and Awad they never wear a dagger (but the man in the Bedouin family but it was not a threat). We are sure sh1977 is the problem or he had a problem with the desert ...
We can recommend to travel with Aodeh and Awad. Wadi Rum will become a great experience for you.
Claudia and Klaus, Germany, Hamburg
(sorry about my English)

Edited by: skulikd

Edited by: skulikd

Dear Skulikd

I am delighted you had such a wonderful experince with Aodeh. Perhaps there was merit in me (and many others) posting my (their) experience of his rubbish service as it sounds like he has taken the initiative to improve rather than continue to rob his clients' money.

Please do not be so arrogant as to conjecture that I had a "special problem". I don't recall you being present on my trip (were you?), therefore, stick to commenting about your own experience rather than imagining up what you believe to be mine. It is hilarious that you "are sure" I was the problem. Don't you think it is a possibility that Aodeh has improved as a result of many bad reviews? This may explain why you got a better service. Not too radical an idea. Clearly you have not read my post - where did I write that demanded a bedouin family to play music?? Your love of Aodeh (rather than your poor English) has clouded your ability to read it seems.

This forum is open to all to comment about THEIR OWN experiences. Please respect that rather than being so rude as to imagine up the experiences of others. I gave an open and honest account of my experience. I cannot understand why that offends your sensibilities. After all, this forum is for us to learn and share.

Please be a little open minded when you post.

SH1977

ITO 1977:

rite my post some times ago reply to your post , and don't now whey you Always ( you are the rite and the rest POSTS are wrong and it seems that you Knowledge of the unseen . so we rite our experience with this guide and we had the best time , and am sure that your have problem with your self a there ways you will not trying to Knowledge of the unseen. .

let me tell YOU some thing i now this guide ( Aodeh ) and am sure that you are complicated tourist , and your visit wadi rum just to make problems , did any one pay you to make rubbish post like this ? YOU It's like great revenge is not human.riting to all websites.

WE ALWAYS recommend THIS GUIDE TO ANY ONE WANT TO VIST JORDAN AND WADI RUM .

Roprtro:
France

Dear Aodeh

Hilarious post. Firstly, I could not understand your post at all. It was even poorly written than the first one. I have no idea what you mean by me having "knowledge of the unseen". It sounds pretty scary though. Aodeh said that I was a 'complicated' person too so stop pretending you are some person from France as this is not a common expression to describe a person.

Nobody paid me. I can assure you. I do not know why I am being attacked for being honest. It appears you are scared of honesty. I am not the only person to write a review of you. Not ALL your reviews are positive. I do not like revenge. I just don't enjoy my money and experience being stolen and I want other tourists to know about it. THAT IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS FORUM.

If you are as wonderful as the fake posts make out then I am sure you will continue to receive many new customers. Why the fear if you are as good as you have deluded yourself to be?

Good luck Aodeh.

Sir, should know that I am not a return type and I have come on this forum and I am who have read only on this forum when you wrote about this guide may feel that you a liar, and not strange lying in this time,'s web may not post especially to know friend from foe As this guide wonderful I know him well, if I did not know what is defended by this guide has experienced more than ten years and has many customers all are happy with the service that provided not only you are not happy from hundreds of customers may be a problem with yourself why you say that am aodeh I am one I would like to Write like you or do you want to make this forum just for you WE hear and believe we all do Errors and I spoke with this guide told me that you are complicated and he made the impossible to satisfy you, "said me that you a liar and thief and it is not true what you rite and told me you like to work the problem, you want from him that he give you the money back or you write when he was in the camp you told hem that you want to sleep in the town, not in the camp and you trayed to work a problem from nothing and he did not like to respond in this forum just becouse you are a liar, and that there are people who are honest .
.

"He never gave me a clear structure for the day and seemed irritated whenever I asked him where we were going next."

Why would you book a guide without agreeing on a structure or itinerary for the day before going? That sounds like very bad planning to me.

Also, if there are so many bad reviews about Aodeh on the web, why again did you book him? You obviously did no research.

Dear Aodeh

Truly, I do not understand what you wrote in your message (except the accusation that I am a liar). I am sorry that you are unable to take criticism but I suppose having a small excuse for a brain evokes the lowest common denominator of a retort. Just because web translators purport to translate from Arabic to English does not mean they ACTUALLY translate into comprehensible English. Thus, I cannot respond to your comments, which most likely are ill thought out and silly anyway.

Fizz - I must congratulate you on being a clever and observant person. Indeed, I did not do any research before I booked Aodeh. I naively relied on Jordan Jubillee. Big mistake. I only learned of the many bad reviews about Aodeh AFTER my trip. I shall be sure to research my trips more thoroughly next time. That is why Thorntree is an invaluable resource that I found out about after my trip. I am not entirely sure why you feel the need to criticise my poor planning skills. I find it bizarre that I am being attacked for (God forbid) writing an honest account of my experience.

Please, all of you, calm down. It is only a review!

Please note that I am very calm and do not think I am attacking anyone. But yes I do think you were naive by not researching your guide. We are free to express our thoughts on this forum and I simply expressed mine, very calmly.

Edited by: thefizz

I don't want to trigger off a tirade again... but I would just like to add something on the music front.. it is not unusual for camps to play music in the evening. The three camps I have spent the most time in do play music on a regular basis, although it is not guaranteed every evening. It kinda depends on whether the camp has instruments and if there is someone in the camp who can play.
In regards to the food, Bedouin food by nature is quite simple, i.e not a lot of spices etc. They do use some spices but it does not compare to Indian cooking in that aspect. It tends to be simple but good. Sometimes tomato sauce or a spice powder is used in the chicken when cooked on the fire, but it is normal to be quite plain. 8pm is late to be cooking, most camps will serve dinner at 7pm latest. In the summer it is later because sunset is 7.30 but at this time of year 6.30-7pm is the 'norm'.
It is not the norm to visit a Bedouin family (if by family you mean women and children) but sometimes people will give you tea in their homes, but then you would sit in the first room, the mothief (living room) and you would not sit with the women and children.
He should not leave you in the desert alone for the night, this is unheard of here. But it is normal for the men to have a dagger as the life here is a practical one and you often need it for fixing the car, opening tins etc. So no need to be afraid of that.
anyway all the best
Em

one big lesson to emerge from this is indeed to do your research. . . search google for "tours of wadi rum" and you'll find them!!!
check the ones who specialise in tours for families and those who are good at adventure and climbing. . . .
and work out who will be best for you. . . .
but it's really important to book in advance. . . .
the alternative is that you get stuck with whoever the visitors' centre chooses to allocate to you . . .
there are good, thoughtful guides around who know and care about Wadi Rum not just about making money. . . .
that's also why it's important to find a local guide from Rum and not to think you can bring someone from Petra or where-ever . . . .
good luck. . .

Absou-f'in-loutly